In this second and final part of my fantasy homage to The Empire Strikes Back, we return to the snowy peaks, haunted forests, and sacred ruins of a medieval Irish world where story itself is magic—and belief can shape reality.

Our young squire Lucan journeys to Clonmacnoise to begin his training under a strange old hermit named Jonah, only to discover that the deeper the story goes, the more tangled it becomes. Meanwhile, Brother Hanric and Sister Lira flee through a living mountain, only to walk straight into the trap of the Dark Mage—who has plans not only for them, but for Lucan himself.

🔥 There’s an ancient duel atop a mountain.
❄️ A frozen sacrifice beneath the earth.
🕯️ And a master even darker than the Mage.

If Part I was about wonder and revelation, Part II is about choice and consequence. It’s about courage, and what happens when you refuse to play the role the world hands you.

I hope you enjoy this second part of The Dark Mage Strikes Back. If you haven't heard Part I yet, start here. And if this tale stirred something in you, let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear what you'd do next, if this world were yours.